El Preterito Y El Imperfecto

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| By Dpowers
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Dpowers
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Quizzes Created: 6 | Total Attempts: 56,168
| Attempts: 325
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  • 1/40 Questions

    Preterito o imperfecto?Mr. Martinez broke his leg.

    • Preterito
    • Imperfecto
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About This Quiz

This quiz will test your ability to recognize when to use the preterit and the imperfect

Verb Tenses Quizzes & Trivia

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  • 2. 

    Preterito o imperfecto?They drove to town on his VW.

    • Preterito

    • Imperfecto

    Correct Answer
    A. Preterito
    Explanation
    The use of the preterite tense is appropriate in this sentence because it indicates a completed action in the past. The sentence states that "they drove to town," implying that the action of driving was completed at a specific point in time. The preterite tense is commonly used to express actions that have a clear beginning and end in the past.

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  • 3. 

    Find the correct verbUstedes         ser

    • Era

    • Seran

    • Eran

    Correct Answer
    A. Eran
    Explanation
    The correct verb for "Ustedes" (which means "you all" in Spanish) is "eran." This is the past tense form of the verb "ser," which means "to be." Therefore, the correct answer is "eran."

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  • 4. 

    Preterito o imperfecto?The choir was singing.

    • Preterito

    • Imperfecto

    Correct Answer
    A. Imperfecto
    Explanation
    The use of the imperfect tense "Imperfecto" is appropriate in this sentence because it indicates an ongoing action in the past. The phrase "The choir was singing" suggests that the choir was engaged in a continuous activity of singing at a specific time in the past. The imperfect tense is commonly used to describe background actions or habitual actions in the past, which aligns with the context of the sentence.

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  • 5. 

    Find the correct verbTú     ir

    • Iba

    • Ibas

    • Iban

    Correct Answer
    A. Ibas
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "ibas" because the question is asking for the correct form of the verb "ir" (to go) for the subject "tú" (you). "Ibas" is the correct conjugation of the verb "ir" in the past tense for the subject "tú".

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  • 6. 

    Preterito o Imperfecto?He left in a black car.

    • Preterito

    • Imperfecto

    Correct Answer
    A. Preterito
    Explanation
    The use of the preterite tense "preterito" indicates that the action of leaving in a black car was completed in the past. It suggests that the person left at a specific point in time and emphasizes the completion of the action. The imperfect tense "imperfecto" would imply that the action was ongoing or habitual in the past, which does not fit the context of the sentence. Therefore, the preterite tense is the correct choice in this case.

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  • 7. 

    Preterito o imperfecto?My friend used to eat a lot.

    • Preterito

    • Imperfecto

    Correct Answer
    A. Imperfecto
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "Imperfecto" because the phrase "used to eat" indicates a habitual or repeated action in the past. The imperfect tense is commonly used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, while the preterite tense is used for completed actions. In this case, the action of eating a lot was a habitual behavior of the friend, rather than a specific event that happened once.

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  • 8. 

    Preterito o Imperfecto?She had blue eyes.

    • Preterito

    • Imperfecto

    Correct Answer
    A. Imperfecto
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "Imperfecto" because the verb "to have" in this context refers to a permanent characteristic or state of the person, rather than a specific action or event that occurred in the past. The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, making it the appropriate choice in this case.

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  • 9. 

    Preterito o imperfecto?My grandmother had an accident.

    • Preterito

    • Imperfecto

    Correct Answer
    A. Preterito
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "Preterito" because the sentence is describing a past event that happened at a specific point in time. The preterite tense is used to talk about completed actions in the past, while the imperfect tense is used for ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Since the sentence is not indicating any ongoing or repeated action, the preterite tense is the appropriate choice.

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  • 10. 

    Preterito o imperfecto?The baby was 12 months old.

    • Preterito

    • Imperfect

    Correct Answer
    A. Imperfect
    Explanation
    The use of the imperfect tense "was" suggests that the action of the baby being 12 months old was ongoing or habitual in the past. The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing actions, states of being, or habitual actions in the past. In this case, the baby's age is being described as a state of being, which is why the imperfect tense is used.

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  • 11. 

    Preterito o Imperfecto?It was a sunny day.

    • Preterito

    • Imperfecto

    Correct Answer
    A. Imperfecto
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "Imperfecto" because the imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, while the preterite tense is used for completed actions. In this case, "It was a sunny day" implies that the sunny weather was a continuous state or a habitual occurrence in the past, rather than a specific event that happened and ended. Therefore, the imperfect tense is the appropriate choice to convey this meaning.

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  • 12. 

    Ayer nosotros ____________________en Casey´s. (comer)

    Correct Answer
    comimos
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "comimos" because it is the first person plural preterite form of the verb "comer" which means "to eat". In this sentence, it is indicating that "we ate" at Casey's.

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  • 13. 

    Find the correct verbél    ir

    • Fue

    • Fui

    • Fuo

    Correct Answer
    A. Fue
    Explanation
    The correct verb form for "ir" in the past tense is "fue."

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  • 14. 

    Find the correct verbEllos       estar

    • Estuve

    • Estaron

    • Estuvieron

    Correct Answer
    A. Estuvieron
    Explanation
    The correct verb to fill in the blank is "estuvieron." This is because "estuvieron" is the past tense conjugation of the verb "estar" (to be) in the third person plural form (ellos).

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  • 15. 

    Preterito o imperfecto?It was 7:15 in the morning.

    • Preterito

    • Imperfecto

    Correct Answer
    A. Imperfecto
    Explanation
    The use of the imperfect tense "imperfecto" in this sentence suggests that the time being referred to is a habitual or ongoing action in the past. The imperfect tense is used to describe past actions that were not completed or have no specific beginning or end. In this case, "It was 7:15 in the morning" indicates a general time frame rather than a specific event, making the imperfect tense the appropriate choice.

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  • 16. 

    Find the correct verbnosotros   hacer

    • Hacemos

    • Hagamos

    • Hicimos

    Correct Answer
    A. Hicimos
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "hicimos" because it is the past tense form of the verb "hacer" when referring to "nosotros" (we).

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  • 17. 

    El dragón ________________buscando un árbol de Navidad perfecto. (estar)

    Correct Answer
    estaba
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "estaba" because the sentence is in the past tense and the verb "estar" needs to be conjugated accordingly. In this case, "estaba" is the past tense conjugation of "estar" for the third person singular pronoun "el dragón". This indicates that the dragon was in the process of searching for a perfect Christmas tree in the past.

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  • 18. 

    Cuando ella era una niña ella _________________________con muñecas. (jugar)

    Correct Answer
    jugaba
    Explanation
    Cuando ella era una niña, ella solía jugar con muñecas. La forma verbal "jugaba" concuerda en tiempo y persona con el sujeto "ella" y el verbo "jugar". Además, el uso del pretérito imperfecto indica una acción habitual o repetida en el pasado, lo cual es coherente con el contexto de la frase.

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  • 19. 

    Find the correct verbYo poner

    • Puso

    • Puse

    • Pusio

    Correct Answer
    A. Puse
    Explanation
    The correct verb form for "Yo poner" is "puse." This is the first-person singular form of the verb "poner" in the past tense. It is used when referring to an action that the speaker (Yo) performed in the past.

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  • 20. 

    Find the correct verbtu hermana       estar

    • Estabas

    • Estan

    • Estaba

    Correct Answer
    A. Estaba
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "estaba." This is the correct form of the verb "estar" in the past tense, singular form, for the subject "hermana" (sister).

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  • 21. 

    Él se _____________________la pierna. (romper)

    Correct Answer
    rompio
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "rompio". In Spanish, the verb "romper" means "to break". The subject of the sentence is "él" which means "he". Therefore, the correct conjugation of the verb in the past tense is "rompió". This form matches with the subject and completes the sentence correctly.

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  • 22. 

    Find the correct verbMi abuelo     ver

    • Vio

    • Veio

    • Veo

    Correct Answer
    A. Vio
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "vio". In Spanish, the verb "ver" means "to see". The subject "mi abuelo" is in the third person singular, so the correct conjugation of the verb is "vio".

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  • 23. 

    El dragón ___________________caramelos en la corona. (pegar)

    Correct Answer
    pego
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "pego" because it is the correct conjugation of the verb "pegar" in the first person singular form. In this sentence, "El dragón pego caramelos en la corona," it means "The dragon stuck candies on the crown." The verb "pegar" means "to stick" or "to glue," and when conjugated in the first person singular form, it becomes "pego."

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  • 24. 

    Todos los veranos ellos ___________________las montañas con su familia. ( visitar) 

    Correct Answer
    visitaban
    Explanation
    En esta oración, se utiliza el verbo "visitar" en la tercera persona del plural del pretérito imperfecto del indicativo, "visitaban". Esto indica que en el pasado, ellos solían visitar las montañas todos los veranos con su familia.

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  • 25. 

    El dragón _________________una corona de caramelos. (hacer)

    Correct Answer
    hizo
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "hizo" because it is the third person singular preterite form of the verb "hacer" in Spanish. In this sentence, "El dragón" is the subject and "una corona de caramelos" is the direct object. The verb "hizo" agrees with the subject and indicates that the dragon performed the action of making the crown of candies in the past.

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  • 26. 

    Él ______________________no cortar el árbol de Navidad. (decidir)

    Correct Answer
    decidio
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "decidió" because it is the correct conjugation of the verb "decidir" in the third person singular form (él/ella). In this sentence, it is used to express that "he" made the decision not to cut the Christmas tree.

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  • 27. 

    Find the correct verbtu  conducir

    • Condujiste

    • Conduciste

    • Conduje

    Correct Answer
    A. Condujiste
    Explanation
    The correct form of the verb "conducir" in the second person singular preterite tense is "condujiste." This form is used when referring to the action of driving that was performed by the person being addressed.

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  • 28. 

    Nosotros siempre _________________en la escuela pero ya no. (comer)

    Correct Answer
    comiamos
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "comíamos". In this sentence, the subject "nosotros" (we) is being referred to, and the verb "comer" (to eat) is used in the past tense. The conjugation of "comer" in the past tense for the subject "nosotros" is "comíamos". This indicates that in the past, "we" used to eat at school, but not anymore.

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  • 29. 

    Los estudiantes _______________________mucho en la escuela ayer. (trabajar)

    Correct Answer
    trabajaron
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "trabajaron." In Spanish, the verb "trabajar" means "to work." The sentence is in the past tense, indicated by the use of the word "ayer" (yesterday). The subject of the sentence is "los estudiantes" (the students), which is plural. In Spanish, when referring to a plural subject in the past tense, the verb ending changes to "-aron" for regular -ar verbs. Therefore, "trabajaron" is the correct conjugation of the verb "trabajar" for the subject "los estudiantes" in the past tense.

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  • 30. 

    Traslate to SpanishIt was a perfect tree.

    Correct Answer
    Era un arbol perfecto.
    Explanation
    The given answer, "Era un arbol perfecto," is the correct translation of the English sentence "It was a perfect tree" into Spanish. The verb "era" is the past tense of the verb "ser," which means "to be." "Un arbol perfecto" translates to "a perfect tree." Therefore, the answer accurately conveys the meaning of the original sentence in Spanish.

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  • 31. 

    Traslate to SpanishHe was not feeling sad.

    Correct Answer
    El no se sentia triste.
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "El no se sentia triste" because it accurately translates the English sentence "He was not feeling sad" into Spanish. The verb "sentia" means "was feeling" in the past tense, and "triste" means "sad." The subject pronoun "El" refers to "he" in English.

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  • 32. 

    Find the correct verbElla estaba

    • Comaba

    • Comiendo

    • Comia

    Correct Answer
    A. Comiendo
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "comiendo". In Spanish, the verb "comer" means "to eat". The word "comiendo" is the present participle form of the verb, which translates to "eating" in English. The sentence is in the past tense, so "estaba" indicates the action was ongoing in the past. Therefore, "Ella estaba comiendo" means "She was eating".

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  • 33. 

    Traslate to SpanishThe dragon looked at his tree from his window.

    Correct Answer
    El dragon miro su arbol desde su ventana.
    Explanation
    The given answer is the correct translation of the English sentence "The dragon looked at his tree from his window" into Spanish. It accurately conveys the meaning of the original sentence, indicating that the dragon observed his tree while being inside his house and looking through the window.

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  • 34. 

    Traslate to SpanishA day in December the dragon had an idea.

    Correct Answer
    Un dia en diciembre el dragon tuvo una idea.
    Explanation
    The given answer is a correct translation of the given sentence from English to Spanish. It accurately captures the meaning and maintains the grammatical structure of the original sentence.

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  • 35. 

    Traslate to SpanishThe tree had beautiful branches.

    Correct Answer
    El arbol tenia ramas hermosas.
    Explanation
    The given answer correctly translates the English sentence "The tree had beautiful branches" into Spanish as "El arbol tenia ramas hermosas." It maintains the same meaning and structure of the original sentence, accurately conveying that the tree possessed attractive branches.

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  • 36. 

    Traslate to SpanishThe branshes danced with the wind every day.

    Correct Answer
    Las ramas danzaban con el viento todos los dias.
    Explanation
    The given answer is correct because it accurately translates the sentence "The branches danced with the wind every day" into Spanish. It maintains the same meaning and conveys that the branches were moving or swaying in a dance-like manner due to the wind on a daily basis.

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  • 37. 

    Traslate to SpanishWhen he went to cut a tree it was very cold.

    Correct Answer
    Cuando fue a cortar el arbol hacia mucho frio.
    Explanation
    The given answer accurately translates the English sentence "When he went to cut a tree it was very cold" into Spanish. It maintains the correct verb tense and word order, and accurately conveys the meaning of the original sentence.

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  • 38. 

    Traslate to SpanishAfter eating all the candy the dragon had a big stomach ache.

    Correct Answer
    Despues de comer todos los caramelos el dragon tuvo un dolor de estomago grande.
    Despues de comer todos los caramelos el dragon tuve un grande dolor de estomago.
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "Después de comer todos los caramelos el dragón tuvo un dolor de estómago grande." The sentence correctly translates to "After eating all the candy, the dragon had a big stomach ache." The use of "después de" indicates the sequence of events, "comer todos los caramelos" translates to "eating all the candy," "el dragón" means "the dragon," "tuvo" means "had," "un dolor de estómago grande" translates to "a big stomach ache." The second option "Después de comer todos los caramelos el dragón tuve un grande dolor de estómago" is incorrect because the adjective "grande" should come before the noun "dolor" to properly describe it.

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  • 39. 

    Traslate to SpanishThe dragon returned with garlands and bells. (regresar)

    Correct Answer
    El dragon regreso con guirnaldas y campanas.
    Explanation
    The given answer accurately translates the sentence "The dragon returned with garlands and bells" into Spanish as "El dragon regreso con guirnaldas y campanas." The verb "regreso" is the correct conjugation of the verb "regresar" (to return) in the third person singular form. The sentence also includes the appropriate translation for "with" (con) and accurately conveys the idea that the dragon brought garlands and bells.

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  • 40. 

    Translate to SpanishThe dragon was always loosing his mittens.

    Correct Answer
    El dragon siempre perdia sus mitones.
    El dragon perdia siempre sus mitones.
    Explanation
    The answer is correct because both translations accurately convey the same meaning. In Spanish, the word order can be flexible, so both "El dragon siempre perdia sus mitones" and "El dragon perdia siempre sus mitones" are grammatically correct and mean "The dragon always lost his mittens."

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Quiz Review Timeline (Updated): Mar 21, 2023 +

Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.

  • Current Version
  • Mar 21, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Feb 18, 2010
    Quiz Created by
    Dpowers
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